born to stand out
by professional ashes of roses
Summary: primarily au clam fic / written for jo (glittering moonlight) for the cw exchange thread / "why fit in when you were born to stand out?" and who knew that a gummy worm could change the course of your life? / who knew being different would be a good thing?


**prompts**: gummy worms, colored pencils, "why fit in when you were born to stand out?", and pumpkin spice lattes

**pairing**: **clam**, closh, massington, or kristen&kemp

**notes**: jo, please don't hate me. I had to rush this, so I suppose that it isn't perfect. besides, I'm typing this in a random café.

**p.s.**: this is horribly au and a bit sci-fi, so please bear with me :)

**p.p.s.**: I noticed that it's supposed to be published **on** October 31st, but I know that I won't be able to publish it then; that's why I've published it now :)

* * *

_so be sure when you step, step with care and great fact. and remember that life's a great balancing act. and will you succeed? yes! you will indeed! [98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed] kid, you'll move mountains. _–**dr seuss | oh, the places you'll go!**

"I know that I'm different." Claire spoke aloud to her scruffy-looking reflection in the murky hand mirror that she was so used to holding. "It's not bad to be different, but everyone thinks that it's a disease to be unique, to be your own character. I bet it's because that she-witch has made them believe that if they don't act like her, then there's something horribly wrong with you."

It was the day before Halloween, and Claire still didn't have a partner for the annual Halloween fight. Everyone had a partner, and if you didn't have a partner, then you were a loser with a capital **l**. In merely seven minutes, she'd be expected to make her way down to the center for the people to stamp her forearm and select her weapon. Halloween in the sleepy town of Westchester wasn't like Halloween anywhere else; you had to battle monsters and pray to God that you wouldn't die. If you died, your family would be disgraced and banished from the town. Surprisingly, it was this weird tradition that drew more and more people to Westchester every Halloween.

The little alarm clock Claire kept by her side dinged, indicating that it was time to drag her sorry self down to the center. Sighing dramatically, she stuffed the mirror under her bed, placed the alarm clock safely in a drawer and crawled out of the first-floor window. Her house was only one storey high, which was cause for the she-witch to tease her every waking moment. Claire was comfortable in it, though. She knew that her parents weren't the wealthiest, but she loved them for trying to make sure that she had what she wanted. Although she wasn't a demanding child, she noticed that her parents struggled because of her, and she hated herself for that. As her mind was preoccupied, she didn't pay attention to where she was walking and bumped into someone.

Covering her mouth, she began to ramble, "Oh, gosh, I'm so, so sorry. I didn't watch where I was going. I'm such a klutz, but people tell me that all the time, so you don't have to say it. Although, being a klutz has its benefits, because at least I know that people talk about it behind my back..." Her mind finally took control over her mouth and she shut up. Looking up, she gasped loudly when she noticed that she was staring into the face of what was, possibly, the most handsome face she had ever seen in her entire life.

Cameron Fisher stared, bemused, at the face looking up at him. He'd never seen her before - then again, he'd never seen anyone in this town before apart from the Mayor, because he was his cousin - but she looked like someone he'd love to be friends with. "It's fine," he replied as he held out a hand to help her up. "I'm Cameron, by the way, but you can call me Cam. Only my mother calls me Cameron. What's your name?"

Claire took his hand and righted herself. "My name's Claire," was all she managed to choke out before she chickened out and ran away. She ran all the way to center, panting loudly and earning herself dirty looks from the rather reserved citizens of the town. "Claire Lyons," the officer called, and Claire sighed internally. She was right on time. Walking up to the front desk, she presented her forearm to the lady officer. After stamping it, the lady spoke.

"Who is your partner, Claire Lyons?"

"I..." Suddenly, her mouth went dry. "I don't have a partner."

"You were supposed to choose one before you arrived!"

"What Claire means is that her partner is me," a deep voice said from behind Claire. She spun herself around to come face to face with the cute boy she literally ran into not just five minutes ago.

"Who are you?" the officer asked.

"My name is Cameron Fisher."

"Claire Lyons, do you know Cameron Fisher?" the officer demanded.

"Yes, I... I know him," Claire stammered, still very unsure of what was going on. "He's my friend. Yeah, he's my friend."

"Very well," the officer agreed. She waved Cameron forward and stamped his forearm as well. "You may go."

Instead of doing the logical thing and walking back together with Cameron, Claire ran all the way back home.

**. . .**

Colored pencils were Claire's favorite thing in the world. Once, on a trip to England, her mother managed to buy her a couple that became paint once they were wet. Whenever she was sad or she wanted to be alone, she dipped them in water and used them to draw on her face and arms. It was calming to do. As soon as she got home, running away from Cameron, she grabbed them from underneath her bed and wet them with the tap in her little bathroom. Collecting some extra water in a little dish for later, she dipped the pink one in water and drew a swirl on her left arm. Then, she outlined it with the purple colored pencil, creating a design. There was a class picture sitting on top of her dresser. She stood in the very front, with nothing less than a frown on her face. Olivia, the she-witch, stood behind her, laughing easily. Claire hated - no, _loathed_ - her with all her being, and she wished that Olivia would disappear.

There was a rapid knock on Claire's door, and she stiffened. Her parents weren't back from work, and she was an only child. The knocking continued, and she had no choice but to hold her red colored pencil as a defense mechanism and inch slowly towards the door. On opening the door, she dropped her pencil and sighed; it was just Cameron. "How do you know where I live?" she asked at the same time that Cameron asked, "Why did you run away from me?"

"I'm sorry," Claire said in response to his question. "I was just really shy. How do you know where I live?"

"I have connections." He smiled, a smile that caused her heart to flutter. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing much," she admitted. "Would you like to come in?"

"It would be my pleasure."

**.**

Claire rubbed her arms as the tingly sensation of goose bumps overcame her. "Are you cold?" Cam asked. "We could always go back to my house; I have a spare coat."

"It's okay." She smiled lightly up at him, then her expression turned sour. "Look who just walked in," she muttered under her breath.

"Is she the Olivia you complained about?" Cam wondered.

"Yes, in all her she-witch glory. Oh, and she even dressed up as a witch." A tear stung Claire eyes, but she wiped it away. "I just wish she'd live me alone. Sometimes, I wonder if being different really is the way to go. I wish I was more like her. I wish I fit in."

Cam took her hand in his. "Claire, look at me," he instructed, and she did so. "Why fit in when you were born to stand out? Everyone is born different, and everyone is born unique. And I'd rather be friends with someone who is her own person, than be friends with someone who doesn't know what it means to be an individual. Let's go out there tonight and kick some serious butt."

She giggled. "Let's do it."

They moved through the murky shadows as one through the woods, every now and then, hearing bloodcurdling screams. There were various flashes of lightning which meant only one thing; the mega monster had been released. He was a cross between a vampire, a werewolf and a Frankenstein. The town had a reward for those who managed to slay the beast before sundown, and Claire and Cameron had already made up their minds to attempt the challenge. Sneaking stealthily towards the wood cabin where the beast lived, and wincing every time their feet came into contact with a dry twig, they finally made it to the door. There was something strange about it, however. Normally, he moved around in the house, acting like _Hulk_; today, however, he was completely calm.

"Huh," Claire began. "What do you -" She was cut off by Cameron knocking her to the ground. She was about to complain until she realized that he's just saved her from being decapitated by the beast. He stood there, looking as grotesque as possibly, wielding a mace in one hand and five axes in the other hand. It smiled menacingly, and both Cam and Claire noticed the way the moonlight made its fangs gleam. "Welcome to your deaths," it growled. Using its right hand, it threw one of the axes at them. They both rolled out of the way, and the axe struck the place where Claire's head previously was.

"Stay with me," Cam breathed. He grabbed an arrow from the quiver slung around his shoulders and knocked it into a bow Claire couldn't believe she hadn't noticed. "I have a pretty fair idea how we can stun this thing long enough for me to cut its head off, but I'm going to need you to distract it so I can hit it with the stun arrow." He reached into his pocket and gave her a handful of gummy worms.

"Well, I wasn't hungry, but thanks anyway." Claire made a move to eat them, but Cam tapped her hand sharply.

"Those aren't for eating. They've been injected with a lethal poison. I know that it can't kill the beast, but if you can get this in its mouth, it's going to make it dizzy enough for me to shoot it. Are you ready?"

"I was born ready," Claire replied. "On your command."

"3, 2, 1... NOW!" Cam screamed, and Claire rolled in front of the beast. After a silent prayer, she took aim with the first gummy worm. It harmlessly bounced off the beast's skin, and it had the nerve to laugh at her. She threw the second one, but it bounced off its eyelid. "That's the last one, Claire," Cam said, his bow ready to fire. "Just do your thing." Blowing hard on the gummy worm, Claire threw it with expert aim and it landed directly in its mouth. The beast staggered for a few seconds, but it was more than enough for Cam, who shot the arrow immediately. It wedged in the fold of its neck, and the beast fell to the ground, completely unconscious. Slipping an axe from the beast's fingers, Cam looked at Claire. "Would you care to join me?"

Together, they sliced the axe cleanly through the beast's neck, expecting blood. There was none. Instead, there were two cups of a sweet-smelling liquid, both encased in plastic. Claire took a whiff of them and smiled, taking them both out and handing one to Cam. "They're pumpkin spice lattes," she explained. "Only the rich people can afford them. I've only tasted them once in my life."

"Well, I guess we're rich tonight." He clinked his sup with Claire's, ripped the plastic off and took a sip. Claire smiled at him and followed suit. She hadn't expected her life to turn around like this. She was going to become one of the most popular people in school, and she had one of the coolest people in the world as one of her friends. And it was all because of a single gummy worm.


End file.
